We are delighted to announce our call for papers for the 2018 conference

The SEXing the Past conference is organised in conjunction with OUTing the Past: The National Festival of LGBT History. The fifth festival conference will be held 16th – 18th March 2018 at Liverpool John Moores University.

In recognition of its ongoing commitment, the theme for SEXing the Past 2018 is ‘Exploring the Intersections of History and Activism’. Among other possibilities, the conference Advisory Panel seeks to develop a programme that:

• highlights the legacy of individuals or organisations in affecting or better understanding the lives of LGBT+ individuals
• documents the emergence and development of organisations or movements committed to LGBT+ activism
• provides a historical context for LGBT+ activism in the past or present
• illuminates the ways that activism can influence how we historicize past attitudes to sex and gender
• considers particular possibilities and challenges inherent in historicising LGBT+ activism

Papers and panels: We welcome abstracts for papers and panels (provisionally, 25 and 90 minutes respectively) that explore the intersections of LGBT+ history and activism. Although preference will be given to those directly addressing the conference theme, we also encourage abstracts that historicise any aspect of the LGBT+ past or consider how we can share knowledge of LGBT+ histories within and beyond the academy.
Abstracts for papers or panels should be submitted by 20 September 2017 via academics@schools-out.org.uk . Individual abstracts should be 150-250 words and should include a short biography. We kindly ask that papers be presented in English. We will endeavour to source translators for Q & A sessions for those who are not fluent in English.

Poster presentations: In order to enhance participation, this year’s conference will also include poster presentations of work dedicated to any of the topics previously mentioned. Further, we anticipate programming a dedicated poster session during the conference so that presenters can discuss their work with other delegates.
Those interested in a poster presentation are asked to submit an abstract of 150-250 words by 20 September 2017 via academics@schools-out.org.uk. The abstract should provide information regarding the poster’s content and presenter(s), together with a clear indication that the contribution will be a poster. Guidelines for posters will be available at a later date.

Timeline: Decisions on abstracts for papers, panels and posters will be communicated by the conference Advisory Panel in October. A preliminary programme and registration will be available on the SEXing the Past conference website in October.